Hospital table



July '22, 1930. A. v. STORM 1,770,955

HOSPITAL TABLE Filed July 1, 1927 A-rrhur V .Sfor m atM-vm 6cm wags e5; cribecland claimed- Patented July 22, 1930 Ama EY bmt ieee i s;miuiee ml HOSPITAL f a tions. .i V h Anotherzobj eat of the invention'aresi'des. 1n providing atable with endsnpports adapted 9- to straddle-the. person. of: the a patient anew restdirectly upon the bed overs.

A still further objectresides in forming the. supports forsaid table. with longitudinal runners adaptedito slide along the bed zc'o rers I 1:to enable the patienttolmove the tablelwithout appreciable effort,lsaidr[unners being. arranged vWith upturned ends to facilitate the v movement of the table upon the covers.

Another object of the invention. resides in 20 forming the. table with sepa-rate end supports adapted to. be iadjnstablyi secured to end members formed. on said table, said supports eing 7. independently raisable 1130 allow of regulating the height'of the table and being -25 independently tiltable to ;permit of adjnsting i the tablelto 'standifirmlyuponlthe bed :ree. gi rdless ofirregularities caused by thebed covers; or the posture of the, patient on the bed.

c mbina ion and arrangement. of parts and in thevdetailspf construction hereinafter def In t e d aw ngs d i lus ratingthe application 'fvmysinevention theret maximum elevated position;

Fig. :3; issa. front. elevational vleis f;

Structure shown invFi g; Fig. 4 is an end View sim lar to Fig; 2

u tratingsi -i he table arranged as a reading tab e-g Fig.5 ar viev v siinilarzFigslfl gand etr t ng theta learranged as aibookzraek;

nhospita lsgior sink" rooins where patients are: confined -:to their beds: for 1 any apprele ciable length of time, considerable difficulty and inconvenience ":iS encountered in accommodating thepatie-nt in the performance of 55; the-various ztasks of daily'life". 'Hereto for tables have=beendei'isediwithlthez-tops thereiof adaptedtmorerhang the "bed propenfsneh tables being lsupportedjbyl a-standardmountv- Y edupon the floor :andlsnbhtableshave ,been- 9: found inconvenient due vtoi the fact-that. the patient is neither able to raise; or lower lithe same; or to. adjust the angularity' opposition of the same. lrelatiye to the bed, inasmuch as the fastening membersiifor holding the 5:.

parts-"in the desired "locked. positioes are so situated asuto be Without "the-reach the patient; In .'addition,;the1'weight'of the top i on being'adjnsted in such types of tables re V quire the-operator tovhe in a standing posture "16;. beside the, device, which is impossible x where the-patient isiconfined to his bed; iii-ven= t-ion overcomes these .difliculties by providin'g aeimple rand efieeti vle deviceewhereby the patientimay himself, with practieall'yno 'eflort, 5v

adjust the tableto meet; with all' iofi his reeg quirementsu Y Fl improved: hx spital table which hrhave it t a indicetjedin its -entiretyl at Ahomprises a With the-foregoing and. other objects min View, which Willappear in the following de-- scription, the invention resides inithenovel top IQWhichis construetediwith a ledge-11 extending ialon'gone of the edges. of the same. Thieledgezextende upwardlylabove the snrfew. of? the top; 10 and servesgtor "retain ar tieles placedrthereon-whenthetablejstilted, Y as Willbe presentlyedeeeribedi The top: 10

maybe-constr1ictedof ivood -oranyother Fig, Ljis a 'perspectiveyiew; of a hospital suitable material, such as enameled metal,

andpthejsame is.preferablyro'nstrueted of a rsizesomewhatwshorter ini length th-anthe Fig, 2 is an end View of a table shown; Fig. l -ill i s'trating' the. .topfthereof; at its edge ofthe bed properasshown I have found thati aesvery convenient size for g "nse'iinconjunetion with the ordinary hospital :2 bed iisi approximately ei hteen b'y thirty e inehesflhon'gh it .canbie readilyicom-prehend e echth-at .these dimensions niay be'va-ried'to suit the requirements without departing;

fromithe spirzit oftheiinvention: T. 1

.Aeross the undersidesofreach:ofends 12 and 13 and top are arranged two end 7 members 14 and 15 which are rigidly attache-d which are formed integralwith the portions- 16 and 17 and which extend considerably below the same. The arcuate portions18" are formed with lateral slots 19 which commenceat the centers of the said arcuate portions and extend outwardly toward theperlphery of the same at right angles to thesurface of thetop- In conjunction with the end members and 15,. I employ two supports 20 and .21 which co-operate with the end'members'14and 15and are attached-thereto;as.will be pres-- ently described. These supports may be constructed of wood or anetal, the same as the end members 14 and 15; and are arranged with arcuate portions 22 similar to the areuate portions 18'of said end members except that the sameextend in inverted'relation thereto. The

lower portions of the supports 20 and 21 are formed with runners23 which have the extreme ends24-and 25 turnedupwardly as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The runners 28 and the arcuate port-ions 22 are formed integral, as disclosed, andhave an appearance quite similar to. that of the end members 14and 15 except that the same are inverted. Co1nmencing at'the center of the arcuate portions 22 are arranged lateral slots 26 which extend outwardly toward the periphery of said arcuateportions and are atrightangles to the lower edges27 of said'runners. The supports 20 and 21 are attached to the end members 14-and 15 byzmeans of wing bolts 28 passing jointly through each of the: pairs'of slots 19 and 26 of the respective end members and supports, which bolts have screwed upon the ends ofthe same nuts 29 best shownin Fig. 3. Common bolts with wingnuts may be used for this purpose if desired or any other suit-.-

able form'of fastening device.

14 and 15 may be adjusted relative-to the supports 20 and 21 so as to' bring the top 10 of the table in any desired adjusted position, Upon-tightening the said bolts the table be comesrigidly supported to the top'thereof in the desired adjustment. "-Due to thearcuate formation of-theportions 18 and 22 of end members 14 and 15 in the supports 20 and 21 considerable frictional contact may be had be- I tween the same, whereby the table may bel rigidly supportedwithoutapplying an exces sive'force in the tighteningrofthe bolts 28..

This is particularly advantageous for patients where the position of the patient is not parand holding the top in proper po-' ticularly advantageous for manipulating the sameand where the patient hasnt usually any just the table. v

.In designing the end members 14and 15 and the supports20 and 21, as shown. in the drawings, with the parts so proportioned as to give a maximum height of the top 10 as lllustratedin Fig. 2 of approximately eighteen .inches,.and a minimum height of the top 10 as illustrated in dotted lines at 30 in Fig. 2 ot approximately .ten inches, I find that the table may be most advantageously utilized for hospital. or; sick room purpose'ssoas to more conveniently accommodate thepatient in all of his activities. It can readily be understood,

howevernthat these dimensions are merely suggested and thatthe table maybe construct ed to (be adjusted to any height desired.

- For the purpose of illustrating the application of. theinvention', I have illustrated in Fig. 1 abed Bcomprising a bedstead 31 having the usual mattress, bed clothing and a bed cover 32. In using the device the table A is positioned'with the runners 23 of the supports 20 and 21 directly-resting upon the bed cover.'32 and straddling the person of the patient. When so disposed,the supports 20 and 21'rest'with their edges 23 directly in contact with bedcove132. It will be noted that the two supports 21' and 22 are independently adjustable relative to the en-dmemb-ers 14 and t 15 both as to height and'tilt. This allows the table to'beso adjusted as to cause the same to stand firmly upon the bed with the top in any desired position regardlessof irregularities in the surface or slope of the bed caused by the bedv clothes or: by the posture of the patient. In-su'ch position the entire table A may be readily slid alongsaid covers,.the' upturned ends 24 and 25 thereof facilitating such m'ove-; ment and preventing the runners 23 from catching'in thecover 32. In adjusting the dev1ce,.the. patient can easily reach each --of the bolts 28 .and unlo osen the same, after which the top maybe adjusted to the required position and saidbolts again tightened to; hold the said top By loosening the bolts 28, the end members mit of sliding the table along the bed without obstruction regardless-of the tilt oftop 10, said portion functioning in'a manner si'milar to the upturned'ends 24 and 25 of runners 20 an'd'21. I i v j When it is desiredto :use the table for a dining table, the top 10 may be arrangedin horizontalposition as shown in Fig. 2, being disposed. 1n any-elevation within the limits illustrated in full and dotted lines insaid :1 patient and his posture in thebed; When it 7 is desired to use the table for a writing table,

the same may be tilted with theledge 11 of toplO downwardly toward the patient as shown in Fig. 1, which allows the patientto conveniently use the table for writing or similar purposes. If desired, thextop 10 maybe further tilted as illustrated in 4 to form a reading table in which position the book may be conveniently 'plaoed'u pon the top 10 with the lower portion thereof resting against the ledge 11. This carries the entire weight of the book, positioning the sameat a convenient angle to be observed by the patient, and allowing the patient to fully relax. By

swinging the top 10 to bring the bolts 28 at the upper endsof the slots 26 and the outer fest; An extremely simple, strong and sturdy ends of the slots 19 as shown in Fig. 5, the table A may be arranged so as to form an easel or display rack-for holding books or similar objects. When so arranged the table I V bers secured to the top, supports, one for each is disposed to the side of the patient or placed upon an adjoining table in" the room where the articles held may be conveniently acces-' sible. It will become evident that the table can be readily used for any-of-the ordinary requirements of a patient confined tobed'such as making baskets, doing embroidery, or bead work, sewing, leather work, typewriting, or any of the other uses mentioned. The table forms a convenient support for a radio receiving device enabling the patient to have readyaccess to the tuning control so as to be able to operate'the same without assistance.

The advantages of my invention are manitable is'provided whichcan be quickly and effectively. adjusted to meet all requirements. There are no parts to wear out or get out.

of order andrequiring oil or other attention.

Thereare no parts adapted to fall apart" so as to inconvenience the user. The device is claim as new and desire to protect Letter Patent is: 1

. LA bed tabl amasstbiiga a;

offend. members secured tothe top, each in- I cludingadepending portion of 'arcuate for- 1} n1ation,,supports cooperating with said end I members, each support being formed with a vertical slot" therein, said arcuate portlons of said'end members being formed with ra-. dial-like slots, a fastening member joining each support with its respective end members and passing through the slot therein and'the slot in the end member, the lower edges of said supports'being upturned at both ends to form runners, said runnersl'and'arcuate lion 0 tionsof said end members permitting of the I A, p "sliding ofthe table along the: bed clothingff without catching thereon, the fastening mem- V bers and slots permitting of the individual adjustment'of the supports angularly and L also toward and fromthe top. U

2. A'bed table comprising a top, -end memend :member, meansfor attaching each sup- 'port to its respective end member, whereby each support maybe individually adjusted angularly and slidably relative to its respec- V tive end member, each support having an edge providing a runner, the same being upturned r easily and-quickly moved and adjusted and] Y there is no possibility of injuring the patient:

or causing accidents to him while using the l same. The table has an extremely low center of gravity and being. supported at both ends in is extremely rigid and stable. The device being entirely supported upon the bed does not I ofier obstructions to persons walking about the bed. Heavier articles such as typewriters and the like-may bereadily mounted uponlthe top of the table without dangerof the same overturning. Whenever'it is desired, the pa tient can push the table toward the foot of the bed where the same will be entirely out of the way allowing the patientto recline in l, V

the usual manner without interference. l

I Changesin the specific form of my inven- 7 tion, as herein disclosed, maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without depart ing from the "spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I v at each endithereof to cause the deviceto slide readily back and forth along thebed'clothing'. In testimony'whereof I have affixed mysig 

